[drmohitg]

Can one use semi synthetic oil also in Cruze?

[np23]

Originally Posted by FlyingSpur

Great to see your car doing well. I was curious to see the break-up of your 13k, and sure enough, I think it's quite alright, considering that the major contributor to the bill (50%) is the cost of the synthetic oil. You could have saved some dough by buying it yourself and getting it done, but anyway that wouldn't amount to much methinks.

Well even I to an extent agree with you but its just that 13k seems steep at the first instnace especially because even my Accord's service cost less but I don't think there's any point of buying oil seperately to save some small amount as not only will that be a more complicated process but you never know how the service centre guys might respond

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Can one use semi synthetic oil also in Cruze?

I doubt semisynthetic oil can be used but I would wait for the experts to respond to this

[khoj]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Can one use semi synthetic oil also in Cruze?

Originally Posted by np23

I doubt semisynthetic oil can be used but I would wait for the experts to respond to this

One can use mineral, semi or fully synthetic engine oils in the Cruze's engine or for that matter in that of any other vehicle.

[thenomad]

Originally Posted by np23

1)Consumable for service ->Rs 89
2)Air filter ->Rs 708
3)Oil filter kit ->Rs 556
4)2 wheight balance 30g ->Rs 30 *8 ->Rs 240
5)Screen wash ->Rs 36
6)Engine oil synthetic->6.50 Litres * 960 ->Rs 6240
7)Oil flushing ->Rs 612
8)Fuel treatment->Rs 400
9)AC nosel->Rs 270
Labour
1)Paid service ->Rs1100
2)Wheel alignment ->Rs 435
3)Wheel balancing->Rs 400
4)Labour->Rs 1282
Total-->Rs 12390 approximately.

My observations
1. Oil flush is not required for a 15k run vehicle unless an oil change is done from synthetic to mineral.
2. What are the benefits of fuel treatment?
3. There is a separate labor charge in addition to the charges for paid service? What is the labor for?
4. What is the weight balance for? If its for wheel balancing, the charges seem to be higher as there is a separate charge of Rs 400.00 for balancing. Better to get it done outside.

[mobike008]

Congratulations on completing 15,000kms. I am just 300kms shy of this figure and this feedback couldnt have come at a more appropriate time. My Cruze is due for its 15K kms service next saturday.

Originally Posted by np23

Now reagrding the 15000km service for which I took the car today,though today being a working day there was not much rush and everything went by smoothly except for the billing part which I was expecting to be about Rs7000.

Here is a break down of the bill:-
Parts:-
1)Consumable for service ->Rs 89
2)Air filter ->Rs 708
3)Oil filter kit ->Rs 556
4)2 wheight balance 30g ->Rs 30 *8 ->Rs 240
5)Screen wash ->Rs 36
6)Engine oil synthetic->6.50 Litres * 960 ->Rs 6240
7)Oil flushing ->Rs 612
8)Fuel treatment->Rs 400
9)AC nosel->Rs 270
Labour
1)Paid service ->Rs1100
2)Wheel alignment ->Rs 435
3)Wheel balancing->Rs 400
4)Labour->Rs 1282
Total-->Rs 12390 approximately.

Bhpians please comment on the same.
Thank you

I think you could have easily saved 3K-4K if you had been a little stringent with A.S.S

With regards to the - Can you share more inputs on why you think its marginally better than your Civic? Yours is a Civic AT? And, is it lower than 8kmpl?

And, with regards to the +. I agree on all points and especially on the handling improvement due to CPC2's and zilch road noise on smooth highways at any speed

Built quality is way ahead of a Civic for sure. Infact, when you park both next to each other, its very evident civic looks almost flimsly built compared to the Cruze. My wife and mom have trouble opening and shutting the door when they ingress and digress and complain its so heavy we need to hire someone to open the door

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Can one use semi synthetic oil also in Cruze?

Originally Posted by np23

I doubt semisynthetic oil can be used but I would wait for the experts to respond to this

No. You cannot use any other oil except Synthetic.

Originally Posted by khoj

One can use mineral, semi or fully synthetic engine oils in the Cruze's engine or for that matter in that of any other vehicle.

I disagree. When Cruze was released it came with Mineral oil but, after the tweaks to the ECU to decrease the Turbolag, all Cruzes from June-2010 or earlier come with manafacturer inputted synthetic oil and they highly recommend to continue with same.

I heard of people moving from MO to SO but, SO to MO, wouldnt that be a step down? Who would want to do that even if it works?

Keeping the high performance engine of Cruze in mind, SO is right way to go forward.

Originally Posted by thenomad

My observations
1. Oil flush is not required for a 15k run vehicle unless an oil change is done from synthetic to mineral.
2. What are the benefits of fuel treatment?
3. There is a separate labor charge in addition to the charges for paid service? What is the labor for?
4. What is the weight balance for? If its for wheel balancing, the charges seem to be higher as there is a separate charge of Rs 400.00 for balancing. Better to get it done outside.

+1 to all above points.

NP, the A.S.S has taken you for a ride unless your car originally came with MO and they flushed the engine to change it to SO.

Getting wheel balance and alignment as mentioned in my thread was a grave mistake. They did a shoddy job and i intend to get it done from a very reputed person outside of A.S.S. You should have done the same and it would be over in just Rs.600

The additional labour charge seems to be unexplainable. Any thoughts?

Also, appreciate if you can let me know response to following :-

1. Can you check with them, what's fuel treatment?

2. What brand oil and grade SO was used for your car? Did they pour it in front of you? I plan to stand right there when they do that

3. What was the feedback from them when they did a brakepad check-up? any inputs they gave how many kms more they will last? Any thing done to pads? Clean etc?

4. How's does the suspension feel after 15K kms? Is it the same feeling when you bought the car?

[np23]

Originally Posted by thenomad

My observations
1. Oil flush is not required for a 15k run vehicle unless an oil change is done from synthetic to mineral.
2. What are the benefits of fuel treatment?
3. There is a separate labor charge in addition to the charges for paid service? What is the labor for?
4. What is the weight balance for? If its for wheel balancing, the charges seem to be higher as there is a separate charge of Rs 400.00 for balancing. Better to get it done outside.

1.)&2.)I dint personally go for the service this time and sent the car with the driver so I couldnt argue on such points but I was told regarding flushing in the 10000km service aswell that flushing will be required at the next service and I am not sure about it benefits.
3.)I think service means they will check and clean filters,do mandatory checks.etc whereas labour is extra for any part like the filters changed .
4.)Yes those charges are for wheel balancing

[np23]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Congratulations on completing 15,000kms. I am just 300kms shy of this figure and this feedback couldnt have come at a more appropriate time. My Cruze is due for its 15K kms service next saturday.

Thank you and get your WA serviced quickly

I think you could have easily saved 3K-4K if you had been a little stringent with A.S.S

I think you might be right but I am not one of those who'll argue with the *** regarding some little costs but can you please mention how I couldve saved more so that it is helpful in the next service

With regards to the - Can you share more inputs on why you think its marginally better than your Civic? Yours is a Civic AT? And, is it lower than 8kmpl?

Yes my Civic is an automatic (we tend to buy only autos) and it gives me an average of about 7.5kmpl in Delhi traffic however on the highway its about 10.5 where as the cruze is also about 7.5-8kmpl in city conditions where as it gives about 14-16kmpl on the highway(The ARAI quote for Cruze AT is 14kmpl so I think it is fine)

And, with regards to the +. I agree on all points and especially on the handling improvement due to CPC2's and zilch road noise on smooth highways at any speed

I completely agree and am glad my adivce at the time you bought your car proved useful and satisfactory for you

Built quality is way ahead of a Civic for sure. Infact, when you park both next to each other, its very evident civic looks almost flimsly built compared to the Cruze.

100% ,its as tough if not tougher than the Laura

My wife and mom have trouble opening and shutting the door when they ingress and digress and complain its so heavy we need to hire someone to open the door

In my case its my sister and mom

No. You cannot use any other oil except Synthetic.



I disagree. When Cruze was released it came with Mineral oil but, after the tweaks to the ECU to decrease the Turbolag, all Cruzes from June-2010 or earlier come with manafacturer inputted synthetic oil and they highly recommend to continue with same.

I heard of people moving from MO to SO but, SO to MO, wouldnt that be a step down? Who would want to do that even if it works?

Keeping the high performance engine of Cruze in mind, SO is right way to go forward.



+1 to all above points.

Even I dont think you can use either of the oils available , I think the recommended one is the best bet

NP, the A.S.S has taken you for a ride unless your car originally came with MO and they flushed the engine to change it to SO.

I dont know what kind of oil it came originally with though its the tweaked version so I am guessing synthetic oil only and unfortunately now I cannot do anything :(

Getting wheel balance and alignment as mentioned in my thread was a grave mistake. They did a shoddy job and i intend to get it done from a very reputed person outside of A.S.S. You should have done the same and it would be over in just Rs.600

I completely agree there has always been a slight niggle from the alignment department and they could never rectify it properly and I was about to take it a very well reputed guy for wheel allingment / balancing but my driver asked them to do this and this time its finally become perfect much better than it was when I bought it so atleast I am happy now.

The additional labour charge seems to be unexplainable. Any thoughts?

No idea about this but I guess it was with regard to specific filters (cannot think of anyother reason)

Also, appreciate if you can let me know response to following :-

1. Can you check with them, what's fuel treatment?

2. What brand oil and grade SO was used for your car? Did they pour it in front of you? I plan to stand right there when they do that

3. What was the feedback from them when they did a brakepad check-up? any inputs they gave how many kms more they will last? Any thing done to pads? Clean etc?

4. How's does the suspension feel after 15K kms? Is it the same feeling when you bought the car?

1.)&2.)I will try to check it with them and get back with you
3.)They inspected the brake pads and contrary to my greatest fear they said they were good enough for quite some more miles
4.)The suspension is as good as new and after the service even the engine is feeling much more lively,fresh and responsive,I hope ypu understand what I am trying to tell.
The drive is much more composed and the noice has reduced further

[khoj]

Originally Posted by mobike008

No. You cannot use any other oil except Synthetic.

I disagree. When Cruze was released it came with Mineral oil but, after the tweaks to the ECU to decrease the Turbolag, all Cruzes from June-2010 or earlier come with manafacturer inputted synthetic oil and they highly recommend to continue with same.

I heard of people moving from MO to SO but, SO to MO, wouldnt that be a step down? Who would want to do that even if it works?

Keeping the high performance engine of Cruze in mind, SO is right way to go forward.

Once again any type of oil can be used with any vehicle's engine including in the 'high performance' unit of the Cruze.

What the manufacturer recommends as the 'best suitable' for their product is a different issue all together and that may not necessarily be governed by matters purely technical in nature.

[np23]

Hello fellow Bhpians,
I was in London for almost 1.5 months and so the cruze was parked in the garrage and no one drove it and I finally drove it on Friday only to realize that the brakepads were gone and I got both the front and rear pads on Saturday for Rs 14,000/-.The car had done 16,500kms and I think it is a bit early inspite of it being an automatic.
Today I sat in my car to leave for college but only to realize that the battery had drained out ( I know battery's do drain out if the car is not used for over a month but then how come it was fine on Saturday!!).I called up chevrolet only to realize that battery warranty is only uptil 12 months and they advised me to get the battery recharged as it was only a 14 month old battery and it must have only drained out,anyways I did a jump start from my civic's battery to go to the service centre and after reaching there when I parked the car,they asked me to come from the other gate and the car started that time like it does normally but when I parked the car then and in the time the job card was being made and when their guy tried to start it dint start again but surprisingly they were generous enough to on their own offer me a free replacement and now I have a brand new exide battery instead of the ACdelco battery which came with the car .
Off the record they did agree that this was an issue with some of these CBU battery's as it is a sealed batery and there is no way to check fluid levels especially considering the temperatures in India
All said and done my faith on Chevy is still as high as ever thanks to their excellent customer support.
(@Sameer Sultan:- I remember even you had a similar battery issue right?, a friend of mine in Chandigarh also had an issue with the oem battery)

[magikrider]

Great thread np! I read entirely in 2 days when time permitted through my mobile. I also plan to get a AT car as my next and since you are driving AT's so maybe you can guide me better. Actually was considering City AT but the heart says Cruze AT! and as you know the difference is quite a bit and may increase more once the facelift model gets launched around march/april 2012. So how would you compare it in easy to drive and smoothness to hondas? I know you have a civic and not the city but still in general.. How does it compare to civic in that and also the city AT if you have any experience of that.
Thanks.

[np23]

Hey magikrider, glad to know you liked my thread.As far as your query between cruze and civic AT is concerned I would like to tell you that as far as sheer smoothness in concerned theres a very little difference between cruze and civic and that too is because of the diesel engine,you find the cruze to be very smooth and silent but when you drive the civic next that is when you realize the petrols extra smoothness.However if I had to choose between the two it will always be the cruze as it has a much more punchier engine,better gearbox(according to me),better looks and much better build quality.
As far as the city AT is concerned I have driven it on quite a few occasions and I am really impressed with it however its from a lower segment and that sums it they both are the best in their own segments according to me.
& lastly as a driver ,If i compare the 3 then cruze offers the best engine and seating position, civic is the smoothest while city is very practical because of its small size and easier maneuverability.
Decide by what is most important for you from these 3 broad points and then make a decision

[np23]

Hi fellow Bhpians,
I have just received a call from Chevrolet's service centre that GM is changing the fuel pipes of certain Cruze cars and have asked me to send my car whenever convenient;though I appreciate that they are doing it own their own I was wondering if anyother cruze owner has received a call for the same?
Thanks

[ashish22]

Hi np23 no i have not received any such calls yet. Mine is from the initial batch, Dec 2009 make.

I would appreciate if you could speak to the GM and talk about this in detail. Whether its for a certain batch of cruzes or certain cruze cars irrespective of batches . Shall appreciate further insight on this.

Also off late i've been experiencing constant niggles in my cruze:

1. Right from the 1st service the Chevrolet guys have not been able to resolve the alignment and balancing issues which i have been facing. After 3-4 repeated visits they were able to rectify the alignment problem but so far they have been unable to resolve the wheel balancing problem. The steering wobbles after 120 kph+ to an extent that i find it disturbing to drive at higher speeds. Also when i apply brakes at such speeds it sends slight vibrations to the steering as well as the entire body of the car
2. The brakes are noisy and they don't feel smooth whenever engaged. There is a constant whining sound whenever i apply them. The car has barely done 9500 kms so i'm sure the brake pads still have lot of life left. Every time i complain them about this they clean my brake pads and say that the problem will not resurface. But its always the other way around.
3. I sometimes feel vibrations in the floor of the car while driving. Though its not always constant but sometimes it definitely bugs me while driving. Seems like the transmission is not as refined as it should be.
4. The suspension crashes on the potholes and lot of sounds and undulations are filtered inside the cabin especially if the car is not driven carefully. The suspension is definitely less refined then laura, jetta or even the corolla.

The service which i have experienced so far from Chevrolet has been below average. Their service advisers hardly have any vehicle knowledge. To make the experience even more sour, the last time when i gave my car for the repairs someone in their workshop stole my sunglasses from the sunglasses holder. I had not taken out my sunglasses because it was not a planned visit and also i was there for a very short time. It was only next day that i realized that my sunglasses have been stolen from the holder.

I would have to think twice next time before buying any chevrolet product. Infact now i think i would have been much happier with either a Jetta or a laura :-(

I intend to change my service workshop for my next visit. Have had enough with my current service station, Aravali Auto, Gurgaon. Bunch of thieves!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by ashish22

Also off late i've been experiencing constant niggles in my cruze:

Hey Ashish, sorry to know the problems that you have been facing with such a sparingly done Cruze. When I scanned through the list, there is not a single point that is replicated in my car

1. I havent done WA & B now for over 6000kms, call me plain lazy. And, the car still goes in a straight line with my hands off the wheel.

2. I have done roughly 21,500kms till now and brakes are still excellent. Except that the tremendous stopping power and bite has reduced drastically and i am now little scared to drive at higher speed due to the reduction in stopping power. But, there is absolutely no noise from the brakes. I presume it may last me another 5K kms for sure

3. There is not a single decible of vibration from any portion of the car except for the squeak from driving seat that lasts for 3-4 days and vanishes on its own and a slight noise on the driver side door where you rest your elbow ( due to bad plastic quality). Overall, I enjoy a deathly silent ride even now

4. A.S.S has been the icing on cake for my entire Chevy experience. They are courteous, attend to problem completely, follow-up religiously and spring suprise offers gifts now and then. Iam so impressed, there are no words to emphasize the same

Please change your A.S.S and see if other dealership can help you resolve your issues

Nikhil, I too havent received any calls. Do elaborate if its for a specific period batch?

[np23]

Yes , I did confirm with my SA and he told me GM has sent the VIN's of the affected cars and I think you guys are lucky.
The problems which I have had are
1) The ac blower speed issue(I think common to all)
2)Battery down in 13 months(though replaced for free as there a problem with the korean eldeco batteries)
3)I had to change my breakpads at about 17000km (its an automatic so it maybe it is somewhat fine but I guess it is still less)

Apart from this I haven't faced any issue in my 20000km run with the cruze and it is still as enjoyable to drive as it was on day 1.
Ashish sir try metro chevrolet in vasant kunj as it isclose to gurgaon as well, though they are not comparable to honda.etc. Atleast they are decent by all means especially the staff is very courteous.
I will send the car for service as well as the fuel pipe replacement on saturday and will give you a better prospective.